Publication

Abstract : The present retrospective study aimed to explore the treatment pattern and glycemic control of oral antidiabetic drugs among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Asmara, Eritrea. This study was undertaken in the Diabetic Unit of Helibet Referral Hospital, Asmara. Two hundred case files were included in this study after they ran across the inclusion criteria of patients age of ≥ 20 years, who identified with type 2 diabetes and who underwent fasting plasma glucose (FPG) testing at least 3 times. The information collection was performed over the period of five months. The most usually prescribed anti-diabetic medications were sulfonylureas (Glibenclamide -131 and Glimipride - 60) and Metformin (74) either alone or in combination. Monotherapy was prescribed more (135, 67.5%) than combination therapy (65, 33.5%). No significant difference in FPG reduction was found among monotherapies. Whereas, in combination therapy Glibenclamide + Metformin combination was found to be more effective (p = 0.01). No treatment variations observed between current clinical practice and Eritrean National Treatment Guideline (Edition 2003) and Treatment Algorithm of International Diabetes Federation Eritrea (Africa region). On the other hand, just 37% prescriptions were adherent to American Diabetic Association’s recommendation concerning Metformin as first-line monotherapy. In conclusion, Biquanides and sulphonyl ureas were prescribed and none other oral hypoglycemic drugs were ordered. Only, Multiple doses of basal Insulin have been prescribed for patients with inadequate glycemic control. © 2014, SILAE (Italo-Latin American Society of Ethnomedicine).